M. Lucile Appel Obituary, 102

M. Lucile Appel of Woodstock died on Dec. 9 at the age of 102. She was the beloved wife of the late Alfred J. Appel.
Lucile was born on Dec. 8, 1911 in Corry, Penn., the youngest child of Daniel Rush Blakeslee and Bessie (Crowell) Blakeslee.
Upon graduation from Edinboro Normal School in 1928 at the age of 17, she taught at both the Lovell School and the Hemlock School, which were one-room school houses (grades K through 8) located in the rural Corry area. Lucile furthered her education by attending Pennsylvania State University where she met her husband, Al, graduating in 1936 with a BS in English Literature. She resumed her career in education, teaching English in the junior high school in Beavertown, Penn., and then returning to Corry High School, the school from which she graduated as valedictorian, to head the English Department and also to teach Latin.
She is survived by her loving children: John Appel and his wife, Jeannine (Jones) Appel of Woodstock; and her daughter, Dorothy Appel of Newington, Conn.; her cherished grandchildren: Bruce Christian, Jr. of Simsbury, Conn., Justine (Christian) Almquist of Tallahassee, Fla., and Beckie Appel of Phoenix, Ariz.; and her adoring great-grandchildren: Tyler Christian and Lukas Almquist of Tallahassee, Fla., Jesse Christian of Chicopee, Mass., and her sister-in-law, Genevieve Appel of Sparta, N.J.
Lucile was predeceased by her devoted husband of 73 years, Alfred J. Appel in 2012, three brothers: Ralph, Max and John and her brother-in-law, Oscar Appel.
Lucile grew up on a farm in Corry, Penn., raised her family on Jenny Jump State Forest in Hope, N.J. and retired to the Gilbert Farm in Woodstock living there for the last 48 years with Al.
She was an inspiration to all who knew her and will live on in our hearts and memories as the energetic and dynamic woman who was so full of fun and love of life. She was an avid reader, enjoyed doing crossword puzzles, hiking on the hill behind their house and harvesting the vegetables from Al’s garden. She will be sorely missed by all who knew and loved her. Now, Lucile is dancing cheek to cheek with her dearest husband, Al, just as they did for so many years at the local dances in Woodstock.
The Cabot Funeral Home in Woodstock is assisting the family.

This obituary first appeared in the December 12, 2013 print edition of the Vermont Standard.

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